Type 2 Diabetes may be due to White Rice

People who eat rice regularly may be at greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. That's according to results of a study at the University of Australia.

So how much rice is regularly?

Researchers say people who ate 3 to 4 servings of white rice a day, were more likely to develop the disease than people who eat 1 to 2 servings.

"What this is telling you is if you like rice you should look for more complex carbohydrates like brown rice," says Dr. Manny Alvarez, M.D. "It has less glycemic index and you know black rice and things of this sort that have more nutrition and they are not pure starch that can be converted into sugar and then you end up with type 2 diabetes."

Researchers admit even though they found a link, they did not prove conclusively that the food actually causes the disease.
Diabetes is caused by a problem in the way your body makes or uses insulin. Insulin is needed to move blood sugar (glucose) into cells, where it is stored and later used for energy.

When you have type 2 diabetes, your fat, liver, and muscle cells do not respond correctly to insulin. This is called insulin resistance. As a result, blood sugar does not get into these cells to be stored for energy.

When sugar cannot enter cells, high levels of sugar build up in the blood. This is called hyperglycemia.

Type 2 diabetes usually occurs slowly over time. Most people with the disease are overweight when they are diagnosed. Increased fat makes it harder for your body to use insulin the correct way.

Type 2 diabetes can also develop in people who are thin. This is more common in the elderly.

Family history and genes play a large role in type 2 diabetes. Low activity level, poor diet, and excess body weight around the waist increase your risk. See also: Type 2 diabetes for a list of risk factors.
Symptoms

Often, people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at first. They may not have symptoms for many years.

The early symptoms of diabetes may include:

    Bladder, kidney, skin, or other infections that are more frequent or heal slowly

Fatigue

Hunger

Increased thirst

Increased urination

The first symptom may also be:

Blurred vision

Erectile dysfunction

Pain or numbness in the feet or hands

Signs and tests

Your health care provider may suspect that you have diabetes if your blood sugar level is higher than 200 mg/dL. To confirm the diagnosis, one or more of the following tests must be done.

Diabetes blood tests:

    Fasting blood glucose level -- diabetes is diagnosed if it is higher than 126 mg/dL two times

Hemoglobin A1c test --

Normal: Less than 5.7%

Pre-diabetes: 5.7% - 6.4%

Diabetes: 6.5% or higher
Oral glucose tolerance test -- diabetes is diagnosed if glucose level is higher than 200 mg/dL after 2 hours

Diabetes screening is recommended for:

    Overweight children who have other risk factors for diabetes, starting at age 10 and repeated every 2 years

    Overweight adults (BMI greater than 25) who have other risk factors

    Adults over age 45 every 3 years

You should see your health care provider every 3 months. At these visits, you can expect your health care provider to:

Check your blood pressure
Check the skin and bones on your feet and legs
Check to see if your feet are becoming numb
Examine the back part of the eye with a special lighted instrument called an ophthalmoscope

The following tests will help you and your doctor monitor your diabetes and prevent problems:

    Have your blood pressure checked at least every year (blood pressure goals should be 130/80 mm/Hg or lower).

    Have your hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c) every 6 months if your diabetes is well controlled; otherwise every 3 months.